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Pump manufacturers are documenting the performance of their pumps in several ways: LIFT & HEAD are used to rate the ability to move water vertically while FLOW reflects the quantity of liquid that can be moved in a given amount of time.

This is the vertical distance that you are able to pump the liquid. Say your pump is rated for a maximum head of 100 feet, this does not mean that you are restricted to100 feet of pipe, you could use 300 feet, so long as the final discharge point is not higher than 100 feet above the liquid being pumped.

This is the vertical distance that the pump can be above the liquid source. Typically, atmospheric pressure limits vertical suction lift of pumps to 25 feet at sea level(see below) This does not mean that you are limited to 25 feet of pipe, you could use upwards of 200 feet of suction pipe, so long as the liquid source is not lower than 25 feet below the pump centerline.

In a general conversation about the performance abilities of a pump, the term head usually refers to the maximum vertical distance from the water source to discharge point that water can be pumped. Please note that at this limit, the pump can push the water no higher. This is a rating assigned by the manufacturers based on design technologies and benchmark testing. An individual pump may perform slightly above or below that mark. This rating should be used to compare pumps and help evaluate the pump's suitability for the application.

Various Units for HEAD:~

Different pump manufacturers express their head ratings in different units. One might state that the maximum head for a specific pump is 200 feet while a competitive pump is rated at 90 PSI. A third pump may give the head at 6 bar. Although sounding quite different, they are actually comparable. The chart below shows the relationship of the various units.

Head Conversion Factors:

1 psi = 2.31 feet head, || 1 foot head = 0.433 psi,

Head Reference Chart:-

Feet

PSI

Meters

Bar

KPA

0

0

0

0.0

0

20

9

6

0.6

60

40

17

12

1.2

120

60

26

18

1.8

179

80

35

24

2.4

239

100

43

30

3.0

299

120

52

37

3.6

359

140

61

43

4.2

418

160

69

49

4.8

478

180

78

55

5.4

538

200

87

61

6.0

598

220

95

67

6.6

658

240

104

73

7.2

717

260

113

79

7.8

777

280

121

85

8.4

837

300

130

91

9.0

897

320

139

98

9.6

956

340

147

104

10.2

1016

360

156

110

10.8

1076

380

165

116

11.3

1136

400

173

122

11.9

1196

420

182

128

12.5

1255

440

191

134

13.1

1315

Feet

PSI

Meters

Bar

KPA

460

199

140

13.7

1375

480

208

146

14.3

1435

500

217

152

14.9

1494

520

225

158

15.5

1554

540

234

165

16.1

1614

560

243

171

16.7

1674

580

251

177

17.3

1734

600

260

183

17.9

1793

620

269

189

18.5

1853

640

277

195

19.1

1913

660

286

201

19.7

1973

680

295

207

20.3

2033

700

303

213

20.9

2092

720

312

219

21.5

2152

740

321

226

22.1

2212

760

329

232

22.7

2272

780

338

238

23.3

2331

800

347

244

23.9

2391

820

355

250

24.5

2451

840

364

256

25.1

2511

860

373

262

25.7

2571

880

381

268

26.3

2630

900

390

274

26.9

2690

Suction Lift:~

The vertical distance that a pump may be placed above the water level (and be able to draw water) is determined by pump design and limits dictated by altitude. The chart below shows the absolute limits. The closer the pump is to the water level, the easier and quicker it will be to prime.

Suction Lift at Various Elevations:~

Altitude:

Suction Lift In Feet

Sea Level

25.0

2,000 ft.

22.0

4,000 ft.

19.5

6,000 ft.

17.3

8,000 ft.

15.5

10,000 ft.

14.3

Friction Head (Loss):~

As water is pumped through hose or pipe, pressure is consumed (or lost) due to the friction of the water against the inner surface of the waterway. The amount of loss depends on many factors including nature of waterway surface, the rate of water flow, the diameter of hose, pressure, temperature as well as the straightness of the water path. Sounds complicated ??? Well, it is.

Friction Head - Our 1˝" Forestry Hose:~

Gallons/Minute Loss in PSI/100' 60 7 70 9 80 12 90 15 100 19

The 1˝" hose available on our website experience a pressure loss of about 0.07 psi/ft. based on a flow rate of 60 GPM. Very few products can boast a lower loss rate. Competitive hoses are rated at 0.09, 0.14 & 0.16 psi/ft. Older hoses, hose in disrepair or trash /junk hose may have ratings in the 0.20 - 0.30 psi/ft. range or higher -- based upon the same flow rate.

Gallons/Minute

Loss in PSI/100'

10

0

20

2

30

2

40

4

50

6

For general planning purposes, consider pressure loss to be 7 psi per 100 ft. the length of hose @ 60 GPM. In theory, with a pump producing 100 psi, 1000 ft. of the hose will leave you with 30 psi -- excluding elevation and other sources of head loss. If you restrict flow to 30 gallons per minute by using a different nozzle, then pressure loss becomes 2 psi per 100'. In this case, 1000 ft. of hose would leave you with 80 psi -- quite adequate for fire protection. In reality, the only way to get a true feeling of the effects of the various head loss factors is to actually perform tests in your setting.